


The Only Exception [WIP]

by cham_p_on



Category: King Arthur and Her Knights Series - K. M. Shea
Genre: Almost Kiss, Angst, F/M, Fanfic, Fluff, KM Shea, Lancelot Hateclub, Paramore - Freeform, Pillow Fight, Song Lyrics, Songfic, au!reincarnation, the only exception
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:48:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cham_p_on/pseuds/cham_p_on
Summary: "You are the reason why the lyrics of love songs made sense to me"
Relationships: Britt Arthurs/Merlin, Griflet/Lady Blancheflor, Mordred/Guinevere, Morgan/Sir Kay
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	The Only Exception [WIP]

**Author's Note:**

> For maximum reading experience, play "The Only Exception" by Paramore in the background while you read. :) Enjoy reading, fellow champions!
> 
> Salve et Vale: Hello and Goodbye

When I was younger I saw my daddy cry  
And curse at the wind  
He broke his own heart and I watched  
As he tried to reassemble it

It was the middle of the night when Britt found herself waking up to the noises of people screaming. She didn’t have to guess what was happening anymore, she knows it is her parents having a fight downstairs. Amidst the turmoil, Britt remained silent in her own bed and tried her best to block out sounds by putting her pillows over her ears.

The deafening sound of objects crashing against the walls could be heard and she found herself sitting up on the edge of her bed. Britt anxiously stared at the closed door, the sound of her own heartbeat banging against her ribcage ringing over her ears.

The fighting ceased. But the suffocating feeling in Britt’s heart remained. Unable to control herself any longer, she went out of her room and tried to go to her sister.

Her father was in the hallway, his face red with tears running down his face. In his hand was a large suitcase. He looked at her and opened his mouth as if he wants to say something to her.

Britt couldn’t remember what he said to her that night. She wasn’t even sure if he said anything to her at all. The only thing that she remembers is that night when he walked away from their family, he never once looked back.

“Are you awake?” Britt asked as she entered her sister’s room, only to find that her sister was also crying. When she saw Britt standing at the door, she immediately began wiping the tears off her face.

“What are you doing here?” her sister asked, attempting a forced smile. Being the older sister, she tried to appear strong for the sake of her sibling.

“I can’t sleep” Britt replied as she crawled into her sister’s bed, tucking herself under the warm blankets.

Britt felt her sister wrap an arm around her and she didn’t have the heart to complain. They went to bed together that night, the heavy silence filled by her sister’s iPod playing for both of them.

* * *

And my momma swore  
That she would never let herself forget  
And that was the day that I promised  
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist

Britt woke up to the blaring sound of an alarm clock. The sun peeked out from her curtains and she pulled the sheets to cover her face from the blinding light.

“That dream again?” she murmured to herself as she began to climb out of her bed, her blanket trailing behind her. Reaching out a hand to turn the alarm off, she picked it up and tossed it to the edge of her bed.

A freshman in college, she went back home for the holidays and decided to spend Christmas with her family — or at least, what’s left of it. When she went downstairs, she was immediately greeted by the sight of her sister, Veronica, making an unsuccessful attempt at a gingerbread house.

“Good morning!” Britt warmly said as she planted a kiss on her sister’s cheeks. She grabbed a handful of wafers from a nearby bowl as her sister shoot glares in her direction.

“Not now, Britt! I am trying to create a masterpiece here!” Ronnie yelled, sticking out her tongue as she tried to concentrate on her work at hand - precariously holding a roof on top of a set of wobbly-looking walls “Do not interrupt the master when she’s at work!”

As Britt sat down to eat her breakfast, her sister let out a triumphant yell as she managed to place the roof on top of the misshapen stack of walls with a proud look on her face. It was a short-lived moment of victory as one of the walls of the gingerbread house fell and the entire thing collapsed into one heap of icing and pastries.

“That’s it! I give up!” she yelled as she angrily bit into a gingerbread man.

Britt laughed at her sister’s musings and reached for a bowl of sugar cookies that apparently was supposed to be the gingerbread house’s windows.

“Good morning, dears!” their mother greeted them cheerfully, despite the visible tiredness on her face. Planting a soft kiss on both her daughter’s cheeks, she took one look at the fallen gingerbread house and decided to make toast.

After initially giving up on the prospect of having a decent gingerbread house for Christmas, Ronnie decided to entertain herself by teasing her little sister that she might finally get herself a boyfriend in college – to which Britt has strongly disagreed with.

“I know you’re busy with school right now and you probably don’t have time for dating and such” Veronica said as she waggled a cookie in front of her sister “But you can’t tell me you didn’t even have a crush on anyone in your university! Surely there must be someone good-looking there!”

“It’s just not for me” Britt replied, brushing off her sister’s complaints that followed.

Britt was never really interested in dating. While she may agree that there are people that she would find pleasant-looking at her own university, the thought of being in a relationship — that she would end up heartbroken, just like her parents — frightened her.

* * *

But darling  
You are the only exception  
You are the only exception

“Britt, would you _please_ get out of that thing?” Merlin grumbled as the she-king burrowed even deeper in her makeshift pillow fort.

The young sorcerer rolled his eyes at her antics, close to considering using his magic to coax her out of her hiding place.

“No!” Britt replied and crossed her arms indignantly; peeking down from her mountain of cushions “I refuse to be anywhere near that pompous monarch and that is final!”

“You’re being unreasonable” Merlin griped as he tried to climb up a small mound of blankets, but he eventually sunk down to his knees on the pile “If you could tolerate King Ban’s son and his cousins, then surely you’ll be able to endure half an hour with the king!”

“I’ve already told you,” Britt moved further away from his reach and tossed a small bolster towards her royal adviser “I am not going to dinner and you cannot make me!”

“Is that so?”

Before she could even process what the wizard has just said, she felt someone grab her feet and began dragging her out of the fort. She desperately clutched for something — _anything_ to hold on to.

“Let go!!!” Britt yelped as the young wizard successfully hauled her out of her fortress, not letting go of her feet. She found a small pillow beside her when an idea came into mind.

**WHACK!!!!!**

Merlin was momentarily knocked out of balance as a pillow flew into his face. When he fell backwards, Britt ripped free from his grasp and immediately scrambled back to her feet. He looked at her with an intense gaze before breaking into a toothy grin.

“You’re going to regret doing that, lass!”

Before she could snatch another pillow, Merlin grabbed a bolster lying nearby and tossed it in her direction. She quickly ducked and the cushion went over her head. She dived for another pillow and immediately threw the pillow towards her opponent. The cushion hit the young sorcerer’s head with an audible **THUMP!!!!!**

“Is that the best you’ve got, old man?” Britt teased as another cushion missed her by a few inches. Stepping over a pile of blankets, she began climbing up her pillow fort, dodging some of the pillows Merlin is sending her way. “Pathetic! Unbelievably pathetic”

“Hiding behind your stronghold of cushions is cowardice!” the sorcerer exclaimed as he dashed behind her, a bolster in his hand “Yield now and I will consider showing you mercy!”

“Never!”

“Then you have elected the way of,” Merlin tossed a large blanket in her direction, the sheet enveloping her body like a ghost. He wrapped his arms around her covered figure and dropped her on a mattress that somehow ended up on the floor. “PAIN!!”

The room was filled with laughter and unbridled glee as the two tried their best to catch their breaths from the ruckus they have created. Britt peeked out from the covers and ran a hand through her hair; her cheeks flushed and sweat dripping down her temples. Merlin’s body is slightly sprawled beside her, an arm loosely wrapped around her.

“Not bad for an old man!”

Despite himself, Merlin couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter from reaching his lips and he found himself snorting at her comment. He turned to look at her and replied, “Not bad for an amateur either!”

Britt playfully smacked the young warlock across his chest, eliciting a small chortle as he tried to block her attacks. Undeterred by his feeble attempts, she got up on her knees and began hitting him with a soft pillow. Merlin yanked the pillow out of her reach, causing her to fall on top of him — their faces only a few inches away from each other. Their bodies are a tangled mess, along with the remains of the once mighty barricade of cushions and sheets.

A moment of peaceful silence passed by, the sounds of ragged breathing occupied the room. For a short time, it seemed as if the world was forgotten.

Realizing that her hands were on his chest, a small blush appeared on Britt’s face. She found herself staring into his brightly-colored eyes, taking in his features and wondering if she was always too busy being annoyed by him to notice how beautiful he looks. It took her a few minutes to calm her racing heart.

Merlin reached out for a stray lock of hair on her face and he carefully tucked it behind her ear. His fingers slowly trailed from her ear to her cheek until it found its way to her jawline. Shall he choose to be selfish and perform his heart’s greatest desire, would it be a sin?

Britt’s eyes were half-closed when he slowly raised his head closer to her, the faint scent of cloves and cedarwood made her head spin. Merlin’s mind became blank and he felt himself drew nearer, his forehead brushing against hers.

Just when their lips were about to touch, a loud rapping on the door broke the two from their reverie.

“My Lord” the voice — Britt begrudgingly guessed it belongs to Lancelot — bellowed from behind the door “I have been sent by the seneschal to inquire if you are feeling well!”

* * *

You are the only exception  
You are the only exception

It was a bright and cheerful morning at the Camelot. The sky shone brightly and the smell of warm spring lingered in the air. It was beautiful mornings like this, where little work needs to be done, that Britt has always looked forward to. It was a day meant for relaxation.

How she managed to convince her foster brother to approve her notion? She’d never know! All that matters is that she has an entire day all to herself — a day where she isn’t King Arthur, but Britt Arthurs.

Taking off before Kay could even change his mind, Britt went down to the lake and decided that a small picnic with her female companions – with Guinevere and the members of the Lancelot Hateclub, along with some of Nymue’s attendants - was the best way to unwind.

As uncanny as it may sound, she felt a moment of ease when she dropped her armory and chainmail, slipping into a comfortable dress and having a day out with the girls.

“And they were roommates!” Guinevere said as she finished tucking the last strand of Britt’s hair into a braid. An audible gasp could be heard from the group as an unexpected detail to the conversation was finally revealed.

“Oh my gosh! They were roommates!” Nymue deadpanned, reaching out for another sandwich on the picnic basket, not paying attention to Guinevere’s story.

The sound of giggling interrupted their serene afternoon as Vivien emerged from the bushes, followed by Merlin.

It was at that minute that Britt realized that she forgot to inform her advisor of her plans for taking the day off — out of her disguise as King Arthur, without Excalibur at her side, and definitely without his permission. Quickly grabbing a scroll from Morgan’s belongings, she shielded her face and hoped neither one of the two newcomers noticed her presence.

Britt lowered the scroll a little bit to her nose, peering at the sight before them. Although the smile on his face was as charming as ever, Britt noticed the tired and forlorn look on the young wizard’s eyes.

It was visible on his face for only a short amount of time and it went away as quickly as it came.

“He’s probably demanding for a lightning strike” Nymue mumbled to the group as the group watched the two walk away from their spot “I could not tell, however, whether he wants the lightning to strike him from where he stands or he intends for Vivien to be the target!”

“At this point, I don’t think he cares which”

“I’m not saying that I was correct with my presumption about him being a court magician,” Nymue said, folding her arms across her chest “but I am right!”

When one of Nymue’s attendants pointed out that the _happy_ couple is often seen in the gardens together, Britt felt her insides plummet and tried her best to avoid the topic. Sensing her discomfort at the subject, Nymue sternly dismissed her servants with some chores and errands to. Guinevere gently rubbed circles on her back and Morgan squeezed her hands.

“I’m alright” Britt assured her companions, offering them a weak smile.

The next morning, Vivien was loudly complaining that someone deliberately threw a bunch of rotten eggs on her window. Even though he appears to be concerned, Merlin took great pleasure in her misery, as evidenced by the light curve on his lips.

Britt wondered if he was the culprit behind the incident. Had she just looked behind her, she would have noticed the princess from Camelgrance and the two members of the Lancelot Hateclub exchange knowing looks with each other.

* * *

Maybe I know somewhere deep in my soul  
That love never lasts  
And we've got to find other ways  
To make it alone  
Or keep a straight face

Months have passed since King Arthur, despite his glorious triumph against the Romans, was slain on the battlefield — that’s what the couriers and knights of Camelot were taught to declare when asked about the king’s untimely demise.

Days turned to weeks. Weeks became months. Time slowly stretched on to eternity and the halls and corridors of Camelot carried a heavy atmosphere as the kingdom mourns the loss of their beloved king.

Everyone has a different way of showing it — some people heal faster than others, and it seems that there are some who may never heal at all.

All the Knights of the Round Table are trying their best to uphold Camelot in Britt’s absence. Mordred has succeeded the throne, ruling with all that Britt has taught him when he was just a knight. Morgause went back to Camelot, not to take the throne but to bring her sons back to Orkney — the two older princes decided to stay, parting with their mother and younger brothers.

Despite all the grudges that were placed upon Lancelot, everyone has took notice how much the prince has changed over the months that have passed, considering all the good deeds the reformed knight has been doing.

Cavall is often seen watching over Britt’s bedside, waiting for his owner to return. At night, the castle walls echoed as he howled until daybreak, calling out for Britt. Sir Ector, knowing how much the mutt has been missing Britt, is often seen trying to cheer the dog up and keeping the dog company. Sir Kay buried himself under piles of paperwork in hopes of keeping memories of the former king out of his mind.

Merlin remembers it all like it happened yesterday.

_“No!” Merlin shouted, his voice shaking as he watched Britt drift in and out of consciousness “She can’t die! We have to do something!”_

_“We don’t have the capabilities here” Nymue snapped, frantically running her fingers through her hair as she tried to come up with a solution “Maybe a faerie king could heal her? But we haven’t the time to get her to one!”_

_Merlin shook his head, feeling so helpless. Here he was, the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and yet he could do nothing to save the woman he loves._

_“It’s all right, Merlin!” Britt whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as she tried to squeeze his hand. Merlin met her gaze, eyes wide with desperation._

_“No. No, it’s not!” Merlin bit the bottom of his lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill down. He cannot let her see him like this; he has to be strong for her right now “Send her forward to her time. They have the science to deal with something like this”_

_“Is magic even capable of sending a person forward?”_

_“There is” Nymue replied grimly “Unfortunately, it’s a very dangerous spell! It requires a large amount of magic, even more than I have; and the last time it was used, four people were killed!”_

_“If we’re careful, can we manage it?”_

_“Even with the three of us, I’m not certain we’ll have enough power!” Nymue said, her voice tight. She looked at Britt and took a deep breath, trying to muster the courage she urgently needed “If we send out a call the faerie folk of the area might hear, but we’re running out of time!”_

_“Take every drop of my magic if you have to” Merlin pleaded, uncertain of what might happen but willing to risk everything, if it meant Britt would survive_ _— even if he will no longer be a part of her life “Just… save her!”_

_Britt’s eyes fluttered as she tried to stay conscious, her breathing was ragged and her hands felt cold to the touch._

**_Just a little more time! That’s all I’m asking!_ ** _Merlin clung to her hand, afraid the she will slip away if he lets go. He didn’t dare let her go when they waded through the waters. **Please, just a little more time!** A part of him always knew this day would come — that she will leave them all behind — but he never once thought that he will be counting down until the exact moment that she’ll no longer be around. **A little more time!**_

_“Merlin…” Nymue called out to him, her lips formed into a thin line “it’s time.”_

_Merlin blinked back tears as he kissed the back of Britt’s hand. **No, please!** He slipped his fingers from hers. **Don’t do this!** Merlin felt his body getting weaker every passing second, his magic pouring violently as he put all his strength into directing them towards the spell. **Please, don’t!** Blinding light filled the area, followed by a thunderous roar. Britt’s body is nowhere to be found and all that was left was a small crater from where she had been. The spell has been finished._

_Nymue immediately collapsed to a nearby rock and began heaving. Lady Blancheflor swooned and fainted. Luckily, Griflet went to catch her before she fell into the water. Merlin was left in a trance and he slowly waded out of the shore, falling to his knees once he got out of the river. Sir Kay and Ector quickly rushed to the sorcerer’s side, disbelief written all over their faces._

A sharp knock pulled Merlin back to his senses. He turned to look at the door, only to find his old mentor. Through his gentle smile, the lines of worry and dread were written all over his face.

“I have been told you’ve locked yourself in your study ever since the incident” Blaise said, stroking his beard “Are you feeling unwell, lad?”

“I’m fine” Merlin said, slumped over his desk and looking down at his feet. He is afraid that if he ever looks at his mentor, he will be unable to control himself and admit the truth that he is far from fine “It’s only just a matter of time before I’ll recover”

Blaise put a hand on the young wizard’s back.

Suddenly, Merlin began sobbing uncontrollably. His shoulders were shaking wildly as he began releasing all the tears and heartbreak he fought so hard to deny. Tears collected at the tip of his nose and dropped down as he trembled, dark ink smudging paper as they stained the pages of the tome he was reading.

“We’re never going to see her ever again! She’s not coming back!”

Ever since the young sorcerer locked himself in his study, he has been hoping to find a solution to his problem but with little to no success. The Lady of the Lake approached him earlier to propose an idea — but it was immediately shut down as none of them have enough magical energy to create Avalon. Gaining immortality is considered a dark and unstable magic, making it even risky if any of the magic-users performed it in their current state. It seems like all hope is lost.

“Don’t give up now, lad!” Blaise put his hand on Merlin’s shoulder “Even the word hopeless isn’t void of hope!”

“I have tried everything! I really did!”

“Not everything” Blaise replied, placing down a dusty scroll at the desk “Instead of gaining immortality or altering the effects of time, you could choose to be reincarnated time and time again.”

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, there's a part 2 in the works.


End file.
